Dear Editor,

In 2006 I co-chaired the Oakdale Centennial Celebration with Farrell Jackson. This gave me the opportunity to view first hand his skills as a leader and an organizer. We had a committee of 30 plus people working in several directions to put together a three-day celebration in a very short time. This “all community” event required a tremendous amount of skill and teamwork. It also required leadership to bring the committee members together to reach the common goal of giving the community a Centennial Celebration worthy of remembering. Mayor Jackson chaired each and every meeting, kept us all on track, moving forward in a positive manner. It was a great success!

Now for a reality check. Many say it is time for new leadership. While this may be true for other cities throughout California that are going bankrupt, as well as corrupt officials at the State level; here in Oakdale, we should be proud of what has been accomplished over the last four years. Given the largest downturn in economic growth in our recent history, our city has survived. Many letters have been written giving synopses and “opinions” of issues and decisions concerning city business, but I have yet to see a complete set of facts being offered to you. I know the facts. It is my job to know the facts and I know the character of Mayor Farrell Jackson and his abilities to lead thoughtfully and sincerely. He is a man of integrity and is a man who can be trusted by the citizens of Oakdale to do the right thing. The situation the City of Oakdale faces is not going to be cured overnight with the election of a “new” Mayor. The reality is that as a city we have more tough times ahead. If you want to keep our city solvent, moving forward, attracting new businesses, remaining fiscally responsible and safe, yes, I said safe … as I do, vote on November 2nd to retain Mayor Farrell Jackson.

Tom Dunlop

Oakdale City Councilmember